Haute Living celebrates Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh

Photo Credit:  Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage for Haute Living

On Monday evening, Haute Living, in collaboration with Dom Perignon, threw an intimate soiree for Relativity founder and CEO Ryan Kavanaugh in celebration of his November/December 2014 philanthropy cover.

Photo Credit: Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage for Haute Living

A VIP crowd including Mel Gibson, Shannen Doherty, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Sarah Rafferty, Katherine McPhee, Kavanaugh’s fiancee, Jessica Roffey, his brother, Matthew, Relativity President Tucker Tooley, Angella Lindvall, Emily Ratajkowski, Haute Living‘s Executive Editor Laura Schreffler and head of marketing Frank Morales, Mike and Diane Binder, Rocky Keever, Jim Wiatt,  Dom Perignon’s Julia Fitzroy and Robin Hursh, gathered at Nobu Malibu to toast Kavanaugh and celebrate just how much he truly gives back: he donates to over 50 charities including the Sheriff’s Youth Foundation, Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, AmFar, the Motion Picture & Television Fund, the March of Dimes Foundation, the National MS Society, and the Fulfillment Fund, which he was honored by on October 14 with an award in memory of his late mentor and friend, Tom Sherak.

Photo Credit: Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage for Haute Living

Arriving guests sipped vintage 2004 Dom Perignon and nibbled on signature Nobu dishes like crispy rice before taking their seats for dinner with the crashing waves of the Pacific visible in the background.

Photo Credit: Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage for Haute Living

Midway through the meal, which included delicacies like edamame and shishito peppers, yellowtail jalapeno, whitefish dry miso sashimi, and king crab tempura, Haute Living publisher Kamal Hotchandani toasted Kavanaugh, declaring how proud he was to have featured someone who has dedicated his life to giving back.

Photo Credit: Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage for Haute Living

Kavanaugh then gave a brief speech, laughing that when he read the article, the guy featured was someone “he really wanted to know.”

Photo Credit: Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage for Haute Living

Hotchandani then surprised the assembled crowd—and Kavanaugh himself—by presenting the 40-year-old Relativity CE) and his parents, Jack and Leslie, with custom-made sculptures courtesy of artist Mr. Brainwash, who was in attendance. The artworks, which read “Life is Beautiful,” are valued at $20,000 apiece.

Photo Credit: Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage for Haute Living

Kavanaugh’s parents gave their own heartwarming speeches, saying how proud they were of their son and how much he deserved to be feted for his philanthropic nature (though his father, Jack, did admit that his son made him nervous as a child climbing on roofs with a hammer while working for Habit For Humanity).

Photo Credit: Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage for Haute Living